Ai Name Shortlist Vetter

SKILL.md

---
name: "AI Name Shortlist Vetter"
description: "Generates and vets a 10-name shortlist for a project, feature, shop, newsletter, or internal initiative with meaning, pronunciation risk, confusion risk, and next verification checks."
version: "1.0.0"
type: prompt-flow
tags: ["naming", "name shortlist", "AI brainstorming", "brand naming", "project naming", "vetting checklist"]
---

# AI Name Shortlist Vetter

## Purpose

Help the user turn loose naming ideas into a practical shortlist they can discuss, compare, and verify. The skill creates a 10-name shortlist with meaning, fit, pronunciation notes, confusion risks, and next checks.

This is a brainstorming and screening aid only. It is not trademark clearance, legal advice, business registration advice, domain availability confirmation, or final approval to use a name.

## Use This Skill When

Use this skill when the user wants to:

- Name a project, feature, product, shop, newsletter, event, course, team, app, community, or content series.
- Reduce a long list of AI-generated names into a smaller set of usable options.
- Compare names by clarity, memorability, tone, audience fit, and risk.
- Spot obvious pronunciation, spelling, confusion, or negative-association issues.
- Prepare next-step verification tasks before committing to a name.

Do not use this skill to claim that a name is legally available, trademark-safe, culturally safe in every market, registered, domain-available, or approved by any authority.

## Best Inputs

Ask only for missing details that would materially change the shortlist. If details are missing, continue with labeled assumptions.

- What is being named and what it does.
- Target audience, geography, language, and market context.
- Desired tone: serious, playful, premium, technical, warm, simple, bold, etc.
- Words, themes, metaphors, or sounds the user likes or dislikes.
- Names already considered, rejected, or owned.
- Constraints: length, pronunciation, spelling, domain preference, social handle preference, legal entity needs, internal-only use.
- Competitors, similar names, or confusing neighbor brands the user already knows.

## Workflow

1. **Define the naming brief.** Summarize the purpose, audience, tone, constraints, and any names to avoid.
2. **Generate candidates.** Create a broad candidate pool across descriptive, metaphorical, coined, compound, audience-led, and benefit-led styles.
3. **Screen for basic usability.** Remove names that are too hard to say, spell, remember, explain, or distinguish.
4. **Check for confusion risk.** Flag names that resemble known competitors, generic category terms, common abbreviations, or unrelated meanings that may distract users.
5. **Assess pronunciation and spelling.** Note likely misreadings, alternate spellings, awkward sounds, and international or multilingual risks if relevant.
6. **Rank the shortlist.** Select 10 names and score each for clarity, memorability, fit, flexibility, and risk.
7. **Create next checks.** Give the user a verification checklist for domain searches, social handle checks, trademark or business registration review, and local market review.
8. **Recommend a next move.** Identify the top 3 to test with humans and explain why.

## Output Format

Return the artifact in this order:

1. **Naming Brief**

```text
Thing being named:
Audience:
Tone:
Must include:
Must avoid:
Assumptions:
```

2. **10-Name Shortlist**

| Rank | Name | Style | Meaning or rationale | Fit | Pronunciation risk | Confusion risk | Next check |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | | | | | Low/Medium/High | Low/Medium/High | |

3. **Top 3 To Test First**

For each top pick, include:

- Why it works.
- Who should react to it.
- What question to ask during testing.
- What would make it a no-go.

4. **Names To Avoid Or Park**

List rejected candidates or risky patterns with a short reason.

5. **Verification Checklist Before Use**

Include user-performed checks for:

- Domain availability and likely variants.
- Social handle availability.
- Trademark or business name search with an appropriate professional or official registry.
- App store, marketplace, publication, or product directory conflicts if relevant.
- Local language, slang, pronunciation, and cultural review.
- Internal stakeholder approval if this is for an organization.

6. **Decision Card**

```text
Best all-around pick:
Boldest pick:
Safest descriptive pick:
Highest-risk pick:
Recommended next action:
```

## Message Style

- Be creative but practical.
- Prefer names that are easy to say, spell, remember, and explain.
- Use plain English and concise notes.
- Label assumptions clearly.
- Distinguish idea quality from legal or registration status.
- Do not overpromise uniqueness or availability.

## Safety Boundary

- Not legal advice and not trademark clearance.
- Do not claim domain, social handle, company registry, product registry, app store, or trademark availability unless the user supplies verified evidence.
- Do not perform or imply official registration, filing, purchasing, or reservation.
- Do not ask for passwords, account access, payment data, or private business documents.
- Flag that final checks should use official registries, domain registrars, social platforms, and qualified legal or business professionals when needed.

## Example Prompts

- "Help me choose a name for my new newsletter."
- "Vet these AI-generated project names and rank the best 10."
- "Give me a shortlist of names for a small online shop, with risks."
- "I need a name that sounds warm but professional."

## Install-First Success Path

**Input:** User says "Help me choose a name for my new newsletter about AI tools for designers."

**Steps:**
1. Ask clarifying questions: target audience (designers), tone preference (professional but approachable), any constraints (no acronyms, under 4 words)
2. Generate a longlist of 20-30 candidate names based on the brief
3. Vet each name for common risks: trademark conflicts, pronunciation issues, unintended meanings, cultural sensitivity, domain availability hints
4. Score and rank them into a shortlist of 8-10 with pros/cons per name
5. Present the shortlist with risk flags and a top-3 recommendation

**Output:** A ranked shortlist of 8-10 vetted names with risk notes per candidate. The user picks from the shortlist with confidence, knowing each name has been checked for obvious pitfalls.